The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Monday it is focusing relief efforts to support the Haitian authorities in finding safe buildings where thousands of displaced residents can shelter from an imminent storm projected to occur in the coming hours
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 16th August, 2021) The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Monday it is focusing relief efforts to support the Haitian authorities in finding safe buildings where thousands of displaced residents can shelter from an imminent storm projected to occur in the coming hours.
Haiti was hit by a 7.2 magnitude earthquake on Saturday morning, leaving almost 1,300 people dead and over 5,700 wounded. According to the US National Hurricane Center, a tropical storm is anticipated to strike Haiti late Monday or early Tuesday, bringing severe rainfall to the disaster-ridden country.
"As Haiti struggles to cope in the aftermath of a deadly weekend earthquake, the IOM's relief efforts to support national authorities are now also focusing on finding safe buildings where thousands of displaced residents can shelter from an approaching storm likely to cause flash flooding and mudslides," the statement read.
Based on the organization's preliminary estimates, more than 13,600 homes were destroyed or seriously damaged during the earthquake, displacing thousands of inhabitants, 470 of whom have sought shelter in emergency accommodations or with host families.
"These numbers will grow as data collection progresses, and one of the main priorities in the coming weeks will be the proper management of emergency shelters and humanitarian support for thousands of people who are displaced," IOM Deputy Chief of Mission in Haiti, Federica Cecchet, said.
The IOM has begun distributing blankets, hygiene kits, jerrycans, repair materials, and tarpaulins to provide quick, life-saving assistance to the most vulnerable. The agency also plans to distribute washable COVID-19 masks and communicate critical COVID-19 awareness and preventative messaging through the distribution of leaflets, sound trucks, community engagement, and social media to decrease the dangers associated with the coronavirus.
Haiti, which lies in a seismologically active zone, has often suffered from powerful earthquakes. The 2010 earthquake left hundreds of thousands of Haitians dead and injured, in addition to devastating the island nation's infrastructure.
